5 Popular Plastic Surgery Procedures

­Long before anyone thought to nip and tuck or even heard of a place called 90210, plastic surgery was a fascinating field of medicine. Plastic surgeons used their skills to help accident victims and children with birth defects or to cure diseases of the skin and soft tissues. Some of the results were remarkable, and it wasn't long before creative surgeons -- and sometimes more-creative patients -- started the trend toward plastic surgery for purely cosmetic reasons.

This article reviews some of the most common plastic surgical procedures, including what you need to know before considering one. For starters, you are certainly not alone. Cosmetic surgeries are becoming increasingly popular and increasingly accepted.

People often request cosmetic surgical procedures because they are unhappy with some aspect of their appearance. However, all surgeries leave scars. Plastic surgeons have a saying: "Shape for scars." Despite techniques that help conceal or minimize scarring, all of these procedures require accepting scars in the hope of obtaining a better shape. Also, however enticing the results may be, these are surgical procedures and should not be taken lightly. Still sound like a fair deal? Read on to learn about some of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures used today.